title: Seasonal differences in suicide birth rate in Alaska Natives compared to other populations.
abstract: Seasonal differences in suicide birth rates among Alaska Natives and for populations at different latitudes (residents of the Yukon, Saskatchewan, Montana, Wyoming, and Pennsylvania) were investigated. Seasonal birth rates for the general population were similarly examined. Suicide birth rates showed small seasonal variations for Alaska Natives with summer births showing more suicides. However, at lower latitudes, suicide birth rates among other populations showed no seasonal differences. Hours of daily sunlight at the summer and winter solstice correlated with the proportion of suicide victims born during those seasons. Seasonal differences in birth rates of suicide victims correlated strongly with latitude and seasonal differences in daylight. General population birth rates did not show significant seasonal differences, and did not correlate with differences in latitude or sunlight length at the summer or winter solstice.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Pennsylvania State University, College of Medicine, Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Hershey 17033, USA.
authors.forename: P A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Kettl
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Collins
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sredy
authors.forename: E O
authors.initials: EO
authors.lastname: Bixler
mesh_terms: D000413:Alaska / Q000453:epidemiology; D001723:Birth Rate; D002170:Canada / Q000453:epidemiology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D006801:Humans; D007198:Indians, North American; D012621:Seasons; D013405:Suicide / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D013472:Sunlight; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology